Hmm…so it sounds like what set him off, in terms of agitation, was being told that he and his family could not move any of their daughter’s belongings into her dorm room early, and would have to wait until their assigned time slot the next day. So then it sounds like he became withdrawn, didn’t join in the shopping, went to bed as soon as they got back to the hotel, and when the wife and daughter returned from dinner, he kind of stormed out (trying to avoid sounding like I’m victim blaming, but…per his wife’s own account of events, and IMO, it does sound like he was in a bit of a snit for the rest of the day after being told NO by a university or dormitory administrator). Eggshells, indeed.
Wondering: If the eldest daughter and Mom went out to dinner with daughter’s friend(s), and Dad was “sleeping” in the meantime, what were the other kiddos doing? How did they get their dinner?